Claricia, Self-portrait, South German psalter, c. 1200.
Week One: Following Fathers and Painting as Sisters.
Our growing awareness of women artists throughout history poses many questions: why were there so few, how did they become artists, and why have we heard so little about those who were successful? In this short three-week course by National Gallery lecturer Dr Richard Stemp, we examine a rich variety of works by women and analyse the reasons behind their obscurity and struggles for recognition in their own right.
In Week One we question why women artists, despite early recognition given by writers such as Pliny and Boccaccio, became so underrated that even the successful ones were unknown. Several mentioned by Pliny were the daughters of artists – and for women this continued to be one of the most common routes to becoming a painter – but by the time Boccaccio was writing, most of the ones who painted were nuns.
Although images of these artists which survive from later times were made by others who would have known little about them, they are informative concerning the attitudes towards women artists during Medieval and Renaissance times. We will also look at the works of at least three nuns, Maria Ormani, Santa Caterina de’ Vigri (possibly the only artist to have been recognised as a saint) and Plautilla Nelli.
Proceeds from our ticket sales benefit museums, galleries and other arts-based organisations and projects.
This is an online event hosted on Zoom which can be watched live, or on-demand for three weeks afterwards. You will receive your link to access the event in your email confirmation and the on-demand link after the event ends.